Improvement in reading and writing desks



ELIZABETH w. STILES. 2sheets"sheetl- Reading and Writing Desk,

Patented Sept. 7,1875.

Inventor 7 2/, /%J fg N. PETERS, PHOTO-LIWOGRAPMER, WASHINGTQN, D C.

2Sheets--Sheet2. ELIZABETH W. STILES.

Reading and Writing Desk. No .1'67,586. Patented Sept-7,1875.

b G y b 1 J J n F Fig.3. A

' I ntor: I v

N. PETERS, PHO'IDJ-ITHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTO ELIZABETH W. STILES, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN READING AND WRITING DESKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,586, datedSeptember 7, 1875; application filed March 24, 1875. a

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELIZABETH W. STILES, ofPhiladelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Combination of Paper- Racks andReading and Writing Desks; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a side elevation, showiugvthe paper-rack and reading orwriting, folding and sliding tables in position. Fig. 2 is a reverseside elevation, showing the swinging door and folding table closed.Fig.3 is a view of the same side as Fig. 2, showing the swinging doorand folding table turned up. Fig. 4 is an end view, showing the foldingtables and end door opened; and Fig. 5 is areverse end view, showing theend door opened and folding tables closed.

The object of my invention is to provide. a combined book and magazinecase, writing and reading desk, and paper-rack, constructed to bereadily folded up and set aside when not in use, and especially adaptedfor readingrooms, libraries, hotels steamboats, &c.; and the inventionconsists of a case provided with shelves for books and magazines,drawers in the middle for writing materials, pi goon-holes, apartmentsfor record-books, and sliding ta bles in the ends,-and swinging doorsand reading and writing folding tables in the sides, as hereinafterfully described.

In the drawings, A represents a case, the

middle of which is provided with shelves B for books, magazines, oldfiles of papers, or waste paper. The ends of the case are provided withdrawers O for writing materials, sliding tables (l for writing orreading tables, and doors D D inclosing pigeon-holes E for letters andfiles of papers, and space E for record-books or magazines. F Frepresent swinging doors, hinged at the top, and G G represent foldingshelves or tables, hinged to the bottom of the doors, and provided witharms 12, forming braces to the tables, constructed and arranged to catchin notches or paper-files may be constructed and attached v in any otherconvenient manner.

At K, in the panel of door F, an inkstand may be attached, arranged onpivots to keep.

it in properposition when the door is opened or closed.

The sliding tables 0 may be provided with grooves for pencils and pens,and with small inkstands set in the tables.

The desk will be provided with casters, on which it may be readilyrolled to any required position convenient for use, and moved back outof the way when not in use.

In reading-rooms and other suitable places both of the folding tablesare opened, and both of the sliding tables may be drawn out, as shown inthe drawings, so that both sides and both ends of the case may be usedat the sametime; and when the tables are folded and slid in place, asshown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the whole case, desks, and paperracksoccupy very little room, and may he set aside out of the way.

What I claim new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of paper-racks H with a case, A, and reading andwriting folding tables G or G, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

The book and magazine case A, having swinging doors F F, hinged at thetop to the cabinet, and folding tables G G, hinged to the lower part ofthe said doors, and supported, when open for use, by braces b on thedoors, and notches or ratchets c on the case, substantially as describedand shown.

3. The combined book and magazine case reading and writing tables, andpaper-racks, constructed as described, consisting of a case, A, providedwith notches or ratchets c, and having shelves B in the middle, drawers0,

sliding tables 0, doors D D, pigeon-holes and my own invention I affixmy signature in presspzice E E in the ends, swinging doors F F, enee oftwo witnesses.

provided with recesses cl, folding tables G G,

provided with braces b, and paper files or racks I ELIZABETH STILES" Hon the sides, substantially as and for the Witnesses:

purposes described. A. J. KYNETT,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as SAD/LL. M. STILEs.

